Chapter 18

"Thanks for driving me." I said to Asher as I got into his car.

"No problem." He assured me.

Normally, Maya would drive me to school, but since Maya and Tom went on their first date and they became boyfriend and girlfriend. Tom drove her to school everyday. So Asher offered to drive me. At first, I didn't want to accept the offer, but of course, Maya would convince me to take it. He had been driving me for almost a week now. And this week had been a very different week for me. Although I didn't hang out with Maya as much, we were still close as ever. But the strangest thing was Asher and I's friendship. Since we watched that movie, he had gone to my house almost everyday to catch up on all the Marvel movies. So far, he had finished all the Iron Man movies, Spider-Man (all three different actors he had watched) and Guardians of the Galaxies' movies.

We arrived and students no longer gawked and stared at us. The first time he drove me, everyone stared at us liked we were naked or something. He was completely unfazed by it and continued to chat with me like everything was normal. While I was trying to ignore the nostalgic feeling in my stomach. It got better as the week went on as it was not a shocked to people anymore.

During lunch, Maya didn't go to the cafeteria, instead Tom and her went to wherever they usually go to make out, leaving me alone. I sat by myself, eating while reading the new book I got. I was so engrossed in it that I didn't know Asher had sat down besides me.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Laura!" He snapped a finger in front of me.

I barely gave him a glance and returned to my book.

"Aren't you lonely?"

I said nothing.

"Do you want to sit at my table?"

Nothing again.

He snatched my book away from me. Finally I looked at him, giving him a deathly glare. Of course, he was unfazed by it by now.

"What do you want?" I scowled at him.

"You should socialize."

"No, I'm perfectly fine being on my own. With my books." I added at the end.

"You should sit with us." He pointed at a table, where the people sat on there were staring at us.

"No, I'm good." I said, frowning as I tried to snatched back my book.

He dodged me saying, "No, I insisted."

"Give. Me. Back. My. Book." I gritted out of my teeth, attempting to grab my book back and failing miserably. Again.

"Come on." He grabbed my arm that was reaching for my book and dragged me out of my seat.

"I. Don't. Want. To." I hissed at him while I got out of his death grip.

"They don't bite." He said teasingly.

"You know I hate socializing." I grumbled at him, my eyes eying my book.

"That's why you need to do it more." He said firmly.

I peeked over his shoulders and his table was still staring at us.

"Fine." I snapped at him.

He gave me a smirk, and I gave him one a back. He gave me a confuse look, his head tilting towards me, his eyebrows scrunched up. I gave him a sweet smile, and I snatched the book out of his hand.

I quickly scurried away, and waved back at him, right as the bell rang, signaling that lunch had ended.

He mumbled something under his breathe and I laughed.

Someone bumped into me, making me drop my book. I gave whoever a glare and was about to snapped at that person. And I realized it's Maya.

"You drop this." She laughed, handing me back my book.

"Thanks." I rolled my eyes.

"Why does Asher has this frustrated look on his face?" She asked as we walked slowly towards our next class.

"Because he was trying to get me to socialize."

She laughed again, "He still hasn't give up?"

I frowned, "No." He had been trying to get me to sit with his friends all week.

"Then you should give that poor boy a chance."

I gave Maya an incredulous look, "Why do I need to socialize when I'm perfectly fine with the two only friends I have."

"Because it's good to socialize and when you go to college-which is next year, you need to make friends too."

"No, I don't."

"What if next time I sit with you with Asher's table?" She tried to bribe me.

"Very tempting offer," I pretended to think, "No."

She groaned, "Come on!"

"Oh look we are here, time for class!" I said joyfully.

She gave me a scowl and sat down.

Laura: 3

Maya and Asher: 0

I arrived at the cafeteria, and Maya was sitting on Asher's table. Two can play a game. I sat down on my normal table and looked through my backpack for my lunch that I packed every morning.

I frowned, where is it?

"Looking for this?" Asher held up my lunch.

I tried to grab it back but of course I was too slow. Stupid boys and their quick reflex.

"Fine, I will just buy something to eat." I got out of my seat and was stopped by Maya.

She held up my wallet triumphantly, "Looks like you have no other choice but to sit with us."

I could choose to not eat, but just my luck, I didn't have enough time to eat breakfast this morning and I'm really hungry. If I don't eat soon, I would murder someone and I'm not exaggerating.

It's just once right?

With a scowl on my face, I grabbed my backpack and walked over to their table and sat down. Asher and Maya quickly sat besides me and handed me back my lunch and wallet.

I tried to leave, but of course, they held me hostage.

I glared at them and everyone on the table, including two girls and two boys, both our grade.

I could feel the tension on the table and everyone was really quiet. They were shifting around and kept sneaking each other panic glances, I could tell they wanted to leave. Good.

Before the tension could suffocate us, Asher started to introduce them, "This is Grace," he pointed at an Asian girl her jet black hair in a high pony tail, I remembered that she was a cheerleader. I just stared at her and I could tell I'm making her uncomfortable. Maya kicked me under the table, I kicked her back.

"This is Angelina but everyone calls her Angie." Asher pointed at a girl with light brown hair and purple highlights, her hair barely touching her shoulders. She also had chocolate brown eyes and was on the hockey team. She gave me a little wave. I just stared at her.

"This is Jake and Joel." He pointed at a pair a twins, both with ginger hair and grey eyes. I remembered they were on the football team and very well known for their wild parties.

"Hey." They both said together, in sync which was creepy. I stared at them all the same.

As I started to eat my lunch, the tension started to rise even more until it's suffocating all of us. Asher couldn't take it and he started to make small talks and tried to find topics. Maya joined in and soon everyone was talking on our table, except me. Maya and Asher tried to bring me into their discussion. But I just kept on eating.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, lunch ended and I was the first one out of the cafeteria.

Maya and Asher quickly caught up, "Laura!" Maya said in an disapproving tone.

"You didn't say that I have to socialize." I defended.

"They were so afraid of you! Can't you at least smile or say something?" Asher said shaking his head at me.

I gave him a sickly sweet smile, "Hey! I don't know any of you and I don't want to be friends or sit with you guys, my friends force me but it's nice to meet you!" I finished and the smile dropped. "You want me to say that?" I raised my eyebrow at him.

"You are impossible." He groaned, throwing his hands in the air, "Maya how do you put up with her all these years?"

"It was really hard," Maya sighed sadly, "But if I don't, she will die of loneliness." She said dramatically.

I rolled my eyes at them, "Well, the both of you are stuck with me now."

"Sadly." They said together, and giving each other a look before bursting into laughter. I rolled my eyes again but cracked a smile.

Maya was probably right, I would have died of loneliness if not for the both of them.